Self propelled toy



April 4, 1961 B. w. GIBSON 2,977,714

SELF PROPELLED ToY Filed Deo. 2, 1958 and@ United States l vMy inventionpertains toA a usefnent devices:forichilew 2,977,714 Patented Aplxnxf,`4

. y 2 `Figure 3 is a section taken along line 3--3 of Figure 2, whileV ij f f Figure is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 4 -4 ofFigure ,j ,l y .My improved self propelledrtoy shown in its preferredmodification as described hereinbelow consists 'of a tubui lar shell'10consisting of two sections 12 and 14.' These' are mounted ina spaced'apart parallel relationshipfon a shaft 16. Theshaft is suitablyjournalled inthe conical projections 18fand 20 that are axially locatedon the re?` -v spective interior faces 22 and 24 ofthe section`s'12and'14i".`

dren particularly in the natrdf yself pr'jopelled toystht can be easily,operatedan'd :manipulated ytofobtairi 'diverse and unexpected effectsmuclift'c'n thearnusement 'o fwthe ehild. v,i .Toys ofA the. selflpropelledtype ,are.fyvvidyelyy kndwii'.

Many employ springwoun'd:motora-'othersbands orffan elastic nature orevenelectric .motors `to proyide'rnobility to such toys. Obviously toysofv theself propelled type are based eithenon the wheelor"sphereprinciplesuby which they cantravver'se fafs'urfface,y Thecustomaryfmeans ,toconnectV the toy with thev power source innappropriate j cases is touse a gear trainf'between it andlthe powersource, which `,in some 'rriarlnerfiwill roll yor"wheel1 vthe toy -along-a surface. The mode vof .travel in. some cases'is controllable and apreselected path eithencir'cular or linear can be realized. Moreovertoysof' this type haveconcealed Vwithini their shape a 'means nfor "startingand stop pingthe motor. j' j' 'i l In 4the operation of the A"motor,various Iancillary effects canbe provided to gi-vef'a varietyofvmovements `'either of the rhythmic or spastictype which of course addsto the enjoyment of "the: toy-by the'child.` `f However,most'toys'ofltle lv'self propelledftype lack control over theirmvementsd- Generally they run.` only 'in preselected Apaths lwhichcannotbelvarlied to-vgive other paths of travel. Normally-theyarenot'controllable by the child and for this reason somethingmoreis de.: sired in toys of this type to give `additional and completesatisfaction. to the child. A v

It therefore is .anobject of my invention to provide a 'a self propelledtoy of the class described that is con- `trollable at the willof thechild. j:

A further object of. my..irirs11ti0na1is.t0 Provide@ toy of theI type`describedwhose path ofttravel can hechanged while in motion at the willof the child operatingit'.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a self propelledtoy of the type described wherein the motive power can be appliedindependently to either wheel or to none and still give variousgyrations and spastic effects when the motor is in operation, -and atthe will of the child.

Another but not final object of my invention is to pro- 4vide a toy ofthe split wheel self propelled type wherein the rate of travel of eachWheel can be adjusted to obtain various unexpected results much to the`amusement and surprise of the child.

These and other objects will become apparent to those skilled in thisart particularly in View of the clear and definitive description givenhereinbelow of the fundamental principles underlying my invention whichare applied in connection with disclosure of a preferred modication andfurther illustrated in the attached drawings forming a part of thisdisclosure.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of my self propelled type.

Figure 2 is a vertical section.:

. The tubular shell'se'ctions 12 and 14 have one end thereof closedwhile the yo ther end is open and facesthe operi; lendofthefotlhersection thereby creating between a cavity ,within which ishoused the motion making mechl anism. 'Each sectiorif121or l1,4A isgenerallyU-shapeiri cross section, and each having a web 26 and'28respectively. Frorn the Vcircular rims of the said websV 26 'and 28V,depend circulars flanges, 30l and 32 respectively'. Around the peripheryof each ofsaid flanges 30 4and 3.2 adjacent v.to .the edgeoftherespective web portions 26 and 28 are'dispo'sed collars y374A and 36.`The collars 34 and 36 actas the rims 38 andf40 for'the tubular sections1,2 andl 14 Lto form solid vweb wheel members 42 and 44,. TheA solid web.wheel members 42 and 44 have hubs 46 and 48 vof which the conicalextensions 184 and 2 0 Aare apart l.: .j

1mentioned previously, the shaft 16 maintainsl the `freelyrotatableiwheels 42 and 44 ina spaced apart paral lel relationshipwhereby the wheels can move'independ; ently .of each other. Between thetwo sections 12 and 14 there `is provided a space 50- for this purpose.The ends of the s haft v16 support theV said wheels which are inf freelyrotatable condition. 'L

At an intermediate pointbetween the said conical ex.; tensions 18 and20, themechanism for propelling and'con trolling the movement of the toyisV suspended from the shaft 16 by means of arms 54v that supportthesaddle 52 in which themechanism is seated. The saddleSZ is made'of astrip of metal or some other suitablematcirial as desiredinto an' openshaped container to hold the motor 58 and the battery cell 60 which isthe source of energy of motion making device. i v A energy of the motionmaking device. j The motor 58 has an upright sh ft onwhich is mounted lltxedly av pinion gear 62, which in turn drives the larger 72 and 74.They are preferably made of electrically conductive metal since they area part of the electrical circuitry involved in this toy. One of thesections 72 may be a solid rod while the other 74 is preferably of atubular construction for reasons described further. The ends of theshaft sections 72 and 74 are connected together with a connector sleeve76 which is frictionally engaged about the ends of the said sections. Inevent it is desirable to rotate one section and retain the other sectionmotionless then the shaft section will slip within the embrace of theconnector sleeve 76.

The outer ends of the shaft sections 72 and 74 protrude beyond the facesof sections' 12 and 14 and have thereon threads 78 with which to engageon one end a capped nut 80 and on the other end a knurled nut 86.Positioned on the inner side of the'hubs 46 and 48 respectively arecollars 82 and 84 respectively with which the hubs can be in abuttingrelationship when the nuts 80 and 86 are turned inwardly to the faces ofthe wheels 42 and 44. The wheels are thus engaged fric tionally by thenut and collar and will rotate with .the shaft 16 if the latter is inmotion. When disengaged the Wheel is freely rotatable. Thus by properadjustment one or both wheels can be engaged by the friction clutchabout each hub to any desired degree to provide any desired degree ofmotionV and rate to each wheel.

Thus by proper adjustment the child can have the toy run in a circle orrun longitudinally. Likewise by having the device in a slippablewheeling condition, the motor on the saddle will rotate about the shaft16 and cause the toy to move in a spasmodic way which is unpredictableand yet amusing. Though not illustrated I may mount suitable figurinesof people, animals and other characters on the lsaddle or Shaft orotherwise conceal the nature of the mechanism by proper adorment whichwill not interfere with the function of the device.

To maintain the saddle 52 within the central part of the cavity 88between the sections 12 and 14, I provide on the shaft 16 suitableguides 110 about one of the arms 54 which prevent the arms from movinglaterally on the shaft 16. However it should be noted that the arm 54 isalso freely rotatable.

I also provide a means to control the llow of electricity from thebattery 60 to the motor 58. Within the tubular section 74 of the shaft16 there is a rod 90 whose end 92 extends within the bore 94 of theconnector sleeve 76. This end is in almost contacting relationship withthe end of the section 72 and also joined by the connector sleeve 76 toform the shaft 16. Both sections 72 and 74 are made of an electricallyconductive material such as metal or copper but separated by thenon-conductive connector sleeve 76. The end 96 of the rod 90 terminatesinto a push-pull snap type of switch by which the contact made betweenthe two ends completes the circuit for electricity to How into. Toprovide for the ow of the electric current, I use a commutator ring 100which is in slidable rotary contact with the shaft section 72. This isconnected to the usual binding post 104 by means of a wire 102. Theother binding post on the motor 58 is connected to the battery 60. Thebattery is grounded to the arm of the saddle. Thus electricity will flowwhen the switch 98 is pushed inwardly.

Obviously the wheel sections can be made of various materials. Clearplastics such as methacrylates and others can be used. Likewise any ofthe other components may be made of desired materials just as long asthey vperform the intended function.

Though as indicated previously the disclosure is dix'ected to thepreferred .embodiment of my invention and end tubular wheels, saidwheels mounted rotatably in a spaced apart parallel relationshiprespectively on the ends of a driven shaft, the said driven shaftcomprising at least two axially aligned portions frictionally engagedwith each other, a friction clutch means on at least one end of the saiddriven shaft ac tingon at least one of the hubs of said wheels, a motormeans suspended from said shaft, a power .transmission means connectingsaid motor means and at least one of said axially aligned portions ofsaid shaft, and a means lto control said motor means.

2. A self propelled toy comprising a pair of closed end tubular wheels,a mechanism housing cavity formed within the said tubular wheels, ashaft adapted to maintain s aidv wheels in a spaced apart rotatableparallel-relationship, the said shaft comprising at least two co-axiallyaligned portions, a friction clutch on one of the said each wheelindependently, .a motor means suspended from said shaft adapted torotate one of the said coaxially aligned portions of said shaft, a geartrain connecting the said shaft and said motor means and a means tocontrol said motor.

'3. A self propelled toy comprising a pair of closed end tubular wheels,a mechanism housing cavity formed within the open ends of said wheels, ashaft adapted to maintain said wheels in a spaced apart rotatablerelationship, the said shaft comprising two axially aligned electricallyconductive portions, a connector between the said sections adaptedl tomaintain said portions in a spaced apart coaxial alignment andelectrical disconnection, a means within one of said portions to contactthe other portion within the said connector, a means to conductelectricity to each of said shaft portions, an electric motor powermeans suspended from said shaft adapted to rotate said shaft, a frictionclutch on the outer end of each of said portions adapted to engage thehub of the tubular wheel and a means for moving the said means withinsaid one portion to control flow of electrical current to lsaid motordisposed on the said end of said one of said shaft portions.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS135,851 Sellers Feb. 1l, 1873 672,707 Mackin Apr. 23, 1901 2,846,814Lettieri ...gv.-..-,.. Aug. 12 1958 axially aligned portions of saidshaft adapted to engage

